The following is a list of events of the year 2026 in Kentucky.
Incumbents
State Government Governor: Andy Beshear (D)
Events January January 1 – A Wolfe County woman is charged with fetal homicide for allegedly inducing her own abortion using abortion pills.
March March 24 – A judge sentences former governor Matt Bevin to 60 days in jail after finding him in contempt of court for failing to disclose financial details. The trial is tied to accusations by Bevin's 19-year-old adopted son, who alleged that his adoptive parents abandoned him.
April April 30 – A bank robber kills two employees of a U.S. Bank in Berea. An 18-year-old man is arrested.
May May 2 – The 2026 Kentucky Derby, the 152nd Kentucky Derby, takes place at the Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville. Golden Tempo wins the race; his trainer Cherie DeVaux is the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby. May 11 – the Kentucky's 4th congressional district republican primary (between Thomas Massie and Ed Gallrein) becomes the most expensive U.S. House primary in American history, with over $25.6 million in ad spending beating the prior record of $25.2 million from the Democratic Primary for New York's 16th congressional district in 2024. By May 17, ad spending exceeded $32 million, with pro-Israel interest groups accounting for over $9 million of the spending against Massie. May 18 – The Lexington Fire Department reports that a house on Needlerush Drive in Lexington was damaged by a fire, displacing five people including a neighbor.https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/article315794800.htmlhttps://www.wkyt.com/2026/05/18/five-displaced-following-lexington-house-fire/https://fox56news.com/news/local/lexington/5-displaced-including-neighbor-following-lexington-house-fire/ May 19 – Kentucky's 4th congressional district republican primary, Thomas Massie loses to Ed Gallrein.
June June 13 – The Louisville Kings beat the DC Defenders 27–20 to win the 2026 United Bowl in the Kings' first season. June 27 – Four people are killed by heavy flooding in Madison and Jackson Counties.
July July 28 – Governor Beshear issues an ultimatum to Senator Mitch McConnell, who has been hospitalized since June 14, demanding McConnell prove he is able to serve or resign from office.
August August 7 – Kentucky State Thorobrettes women's basketball player Aminata Seck, a Senegalese national, is detained by ICE at Muhammad Ali International Airport while the team is traveling to an HBCU tournament. August 15 – A teenager is killed and four people injured in a shooting at a Lexington park during a community event. August 20–30 – The Kentucky State Fair takes place in Louisville.
September September 3 – Matt Bevin is arrested by sheriff's deputies in Paris, Kentucky, while playing an extra in a Great American Family Christmas movie. Bevin is arrested on a bench warrant for contempt of court, and he is charged with resistance to a court order. September 5 – The Kentucky Wildcats football team plays their first game with coach Will Stein, against Youngstown State at Kroger Field. Over 100 fans report possible heat stroke. September 14 – Mitch McConnell makes his first public appearance since his hospitalization.
See also 2026 in the United States
References